Electric toaster



Jan. 27, 1

C. C. ARMSTRONG ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed Aprii 27, 1929' Ssheets-sneet 1 INVENTOR:

C/zaiyles CArm ariltong,

ATTORNEYS Jan. 27, 1931. c. c. ARMSTRONG ELECTRIC TOASTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27, 1929 INVENTDR:

Charles GATmazZ'mg,

ATTORNEY 3 Jan. 27, 1931.' Q Q ARMSTRQNG` 1,790,083 v ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed April 27, 1929 -3 SheetS-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 27, 1931 nUNITED STATES PATENT ol-r-'lcE C. mBTBOIG, 0I HUNTINGTON, Wm VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOB T0 THE ABI- ITBDNG m0 m MAG-'Umd CORPORATION,

vnanln, a oonron'rron or nna'w 0F HUNTINGTON, WEST mmc Tom espumas meaaprn 27, me. semi masseuse. j

kMy invention relates to improvements in electric bread toasters ofthe automatic type; i. e., those wherein the a paratus is tlmecontrolled and capable of being set so as to automatically discontinue the .toasting after a predetermined interval. s

The invention aims to rovidean extremely eilcient, economicalfand) attractive form of toaster.

It further aims to provide a construction in which the bread may be readily placed in and removed from the toastirg position, and thev device easily manipulate Another object is to provide a construction whereby durin toasting, the bread will be wholy enclose and after toasting is comlete, the parts automatically opened and the read positioned for convenient removal, and when so positioned will discontinue the toasting action but will keep the toast warm if the operator does not wish to remove it or use it immediately.

The invention further aims to rovide im-` proved locking and releasin mec anism for vthe movable or cover parto lthe toaster.

With these and other objects in view, which willy hereinafter appear, the vinvention includes the novel featuresof construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafterr described, my said invention being defined b the claims appended hereto.`

What at present consider the referred embodiment of the invention is iHustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the toaster.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section showing the toaster in open position.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the portion of the toaster casing provided with the time control means.

Fig. v7 is a horizontal section through such time control means, looking downward or reversetoFi.6.

Fi 8 is a detail of the spring hinge.

' Re erring by reference characters to this drawing, the toaster is shown as comprising a lower main section 1 provided withsuitable sup rting legs 2 terminating in feet or pads 3 o heat insulating materia such as rubber which also serves to prevent scratching or 4and preferably have coacting edges which overlap when closed to form a tight joint.

In order to provide hinge means which will economical of manufacture and assembly and which will serve both to automatically open the cover section'and limit the openin movement thereof, I form L-shaped slots 1a and 4a (Fi 3), in the back walls of said sections, the ots in the upper section being inverted relative to the slots in the lower section. Hinge members 5 and 6 are formed or stamped up from sheet metal each comprising an intermediate web and right angularly turned end flanges as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The one set of flanges are spaced apart a distance corresponding' to that of the other anges so that the said flanges may be overlapped to formthe hinges, due to the relative for purg "lo lateral displacement of the upper and lower The end flanges are passed through theslots in the casing walls from the inside and the webs are secured to the linner faces of the walls by means such as screws or rivets 8.

The said-end flanges ofthe hinges have anghularly turned lugs 5c and 6c, one st of suc ugsenga the respective ends o the helical springsgglvhich surround the hinge pintles and hold the same under tension (or compression), whereby the springs tend constantly to open the cover section, the lugs provided with suitable heads and forming also cooperating stops to limit theA formed by bottom plate member 1b of pressed metal having marginal flanges and secured in place by means such as small bolts and nuts as shown. Handles 14 are provided for con- 15 lveniently llifting the toaster as a whole, such handles being carriedby arms 14a formed as integral right angular extensions of sheet metal plates 14?) which vare secured to the inner faces of the side walls of section 1 by screws 140, the arms 14a projecting through slots in the said side walls. .A

The up er and lower sections are provided with heating elements of any approved type as indicated at 15 and 15a, the heating or resistance' elements 15 of the 'lower section being connected lwith the outlet plug or coupling member and the resistance elements 15a of the'upper section being connected in series Ywith those of the lower sections by flexible exterior conductors housed inv protecting resilient guards 16 preferably of s ring wire.

The heating coils are prefera ly protected by guard wires 17.

The slice of bread to be toasted is su 85 ported by a tray or grid 18`which lpreferab y y comprises a pair of elongated wireloops hav# ing upwardly extending or angularly turned ends 18a secured to a cross rod 19 havingv its ends pivotally supported in openings 1n 40 the side lining walls of the upper section in such position that when the upper member 4 of the toaster is opened. the angularly turned ends 18a of the wires will contact with the e abutment or shoulder formed by the lower edge of the end wall of the lining member,

and cause the tray or grid to be raised to the inclined position shown in Fig. 5, in which position it will be spaced apart equally from oth 'heating elements. In such position, it

will be too far'from the said elements for the bread to be toasted` which may be left on the tray temporarily, and while so held will be vkept warm. v

When the upper section is closed, the tray .55 or grid will be in horizontal position and the toast subject to heat on both sides from the upper and lower heating elements.

For holding the upper section closed-and for releasing it and allowing it to open at -00 the completion o the toasting operation, I

provide the following mechanism.

The upper-section 4 carries 'a xed catch or .strike comprising a bar 20, Figs. 4 and 5, suitably secured as by means of screws or 05 rivets to the inner face of the front wall and 1 predetermined of the lever and serving to limit the movement thereof in opposite directions.

By this arrangement, the catch lever isv held spaced from the carrying wall for a purpose which will hereinafter` appear. y sprmg 24e has an eye portion carried by a projecting portion of the pivot pin and one Y arm bearing against one of said lugs while its other' arm presses against the portion of the lever below the pivot and tends to keep its other end yieldingly pressed intolocking pov sition. The lower end of the lever 21 projects through a slot in the plate 1a into the path of a spring pressed striker arm 25, which is designed to normally bear against said lower end of lever 21 with suliicient'-V force to hold it in unlatching position so that the toaster will remain open. This lever 25 pro'ects into convenient position at the front o the toaster orfmanipulation by the hand of the when swung back away from operator and the catch lever, allows the latter to'inove into locking position. j Time controlled means is provided for holding the lever in retractd position for a period of time and then releasing it, allowing it to actuate the catch leverto release the catch and open the top closure section. I

This mechanism comprises an ordinary clock train (Figs. 6 and7), carried bya frame comprising spaced parallel plates 26, 27 connected by corner posts as is customary and secured to the under side of the bottom closure plate 1a by means of screw bolts.

The clock train comprises a main gear 3() and customary escapement mechanism with 'the usual intermediate gearing. Lever 25 is ulcrumed to 'articulate freely about a fixed,

post 28 carried by plate 26 and said lever is connected by tension spring 29 to a fixed pointy on plate 26, said spring tending to move said lever into latch releasing position.

The inner end of lever 25 carries a post 25a on which is articulated a pawl 81 having a tooth 31a at its free end designed to engage with a shoulder 32a formed on the peripheral edge of an arc shaped plate 32 which is mounted for rotation with `frictional engagement with the hub of gear 30, said hub and gear being carried by a shaft having one end journaled .in plate 27 and the other in the end of post 28. l

.of the .coupling or ,of the pawl carries a pin or y oted end a tooth which is positioned to engage the radial edge A spring 33 coiled around post 25a tends to press the pawl 31 into contact with the edge of said arc shaped plate. The free end stud 3 4 positioned to coact with the inclined or cam sha ed endof an arm 35 fast on the stud 28.

e pawl or dog 31 has .adjacent its'pivor projection (see Fig. 7)

of arc shaped plate 32. Y

When the lever is moved in an anticlockwis'e direction (see Fig. 7), the pawl 31 is moved with it and the dog or projection is first carried int'o engaging position relative to the shoulder 32a, whereupon the rear dog or tooth 316 contacts with the rear radlal edge of plate 32 and-moves lthis around against the frictional resistance of the Uear hub. This movement carries the stu or pin 34 beyond the cam or inclined end of ar-m 35 so that the pawl will be locked to the arc-shaped plate when the o erator releases regulating lever 36 articulated the latter is free to the lever 25. Thereupon, t e pull of the sprilng 29 tends vto move the lever back to initia engagement with the hub, rotates the latter and its connected gear and drives thek clock train. This movement continues until the pin or post 34 rides uv on the inclined end of arm 35 whereupon t e pawl is disengaged from the shoulder 32a and the lever 25 snaps back into contact with the latch lever and actuates the latter to unlatch the top section, the impact of this movement ensuring the unlatching operation.

To vary the time of unlatching, I provide a `on plate 27 and having a slotted arm 36a working through an arc shaped opening in plate 27 and engaging the outer coil of the hair spring 37 of the escapement mechanism.

Vith the construction above described, the top or cover'section would always remain open while the toaster is not in use.

To enable it to be held closed at such times and when the electric supply cable, is disconnected, IV provide the following mechanism.

A rod 38 slidably guided in openings in the casing walls has at its front end a disk or button 39 designed to coact with the latch lever 21 and at its rear end which Aprojects through the outside wall of the casing, `a similar disk or button 40designed to coact with the front face of the socket member 41 electric connection. j

A spring 42 coiled around the rod between the button 40 Aand the casing vWall tends to move the button y40 away fromthe casing. When the coupling socket member is in place, the button 40 and rod are held lpushedin against the pressure ofthe spring at which time the button or disk 39 is also pushed in out of the path of the latchlever so that function under the acposition carrying with it the said arc shaped plate 32 which, through its frictional tion of the time controlled means as hereinbefore described. When the socket member is removed, the spring tends to move the rod and buttons back and hence, when the top section is closed, the button or disk 39 will be moved into position kto engage the lever 21 below its pivot and will prevent the pressure of the lever or arm 25 from unlatching it. f

The closu'iesection is preferably provided with a handle 43 forconvenience in closing the same.

Having thus described I claim is:

1. A bread toaster comprising a lower casing section, an uppei` movable casing section hinged thereto, heating means carried by said sections, a bread rack having an upstanding portion hinged to the movable seetion adjacent the hinged side thereof, and

my invention, what abutment means carried by said movable sec-- tion for contact withsaid upstanding part to tilt the bread rack when the movable section is opened. f

2. .A bread toaster comprising a lower casing section, an upper casing section hinged thereto and having a ledge adjacent the hinge, heating means within said. sections, and a bread rack having an upstanding portion hinged to said upper section on an axis above the line of said ledge. V

3. A bread toaster comprising a lower casing section, an upper casing section hinged thereto', heating means within said sections, a ledge carried by said upper section adjacent the hinge, a cross` rod rotatably carried by said upper section above the line of said iusl ledge, and wire bread supporting means hav- Ameans controlled by the application of the coupling 'member for preventing the time controlled means fromoperating the catch means.

5. A bread toaster comprising a lower section, an vupper section hinged thereto, electric heating means for said sections, means for supporting bread between said sections, spring means tending to open the upper section, a fixed catch' member carried bythe upper section, acatch lever fulcrumed on the lowersection and spring pressed to normally engage saidfixed catch, time coninto releasing position to permit the uppe trolled meansfor moving said catch lever l.

section to open, a movable abutment member for engaging said catch lever to prevent movement thereof to unlatching position, and a spring" pressed slidable rod carried by the lower section and connected with said abutment, said rod having an end contact part positioned for engagement with the cable coupling element.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

(HARLES C. ARMSTRONG. 

